Car-wheel grinder



2 Sheets-Sheet l CLE( 'Orne .Euren ons (dh/les F5952@ 1 0512 Arm C. T. RIPLEY ET AL CAR WHEELGRINDER Filed Jun`e 11, 1925 JuneA 11', 1929.

c fr. RIPLEY ET A1' CAR WHEEL GRINDER `Filed June 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

` Patented June 11, 1922. i

' UNI-TED STAT-Es PATENT ePrice.

CHARLES T. RIPLEY AND JCH'N L. AnMsTRoNG, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs,.AssIGNoas, i BY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To s. a T. METAL COMPANY, or CHICAGO,

` ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

CAR-WHEEL GRINDER.

-Application led J'une 11, 1925. Serial No. 36,362. 'i I 1o on the rails when the brakes are applied, the

- excessive use of sand at such time, or other causes. These flat spots destroy the concentric periphery of the'wheel, and as the wheel' `rolls along the rail, disturbing noises and 1n.

15. jurious shocks are caused by the successive impacts of this fiat surface on the rail. If this fiat spot exceeds a cert-ain size, the wheel must be scrapped, or its treadrenewed or resurfaced. A car wheel is composed of a uni- '20 tary'nietal casting, having a comparatively soft-web portion and a comparatively hard, chilled, riin or tread for rolling Contact .with the rail. If theflat spot 'does not go through this chilled rim, the -periphery of the wheel v may be ground down to remove the lat, that i is, the other portions of 4the rim are removed funtil the radius of theperiphery is no greater than the radius 'of the lowest portion of the Hat spot. The'present invention relates to, an

improved method and apparatus forgrinding down the tread of car wheels to remove these fiat spots or defects.

A One main object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for mounting -andl driving agrinding unit, so that this grinder' will revolve bodily about the axis of the wheel 4,to

grind all portions of 'the tread concentricl with this axis,

Another object is to provide a. portable grinding unit of the above type, that may be' y easily supported on the car-wheel axle.

Another object is to .provide an improved chuck or securing means, for mounting this rwheel axle. p

Another ob'ect isto provide an improved means :for ad]usting the grinding wheel radially toward or from the tread of the car wheel, to adapt the mechanism for grinding 5 wheels of different diameters, and to determine the amount of material that is ground away from any one wheel.

grinding unit concentrically upon the-.car-v Another object is to provide an improved lubricating system for the rotating portions of the-apparatus. 55

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent -from the following detailed description of one approved form of apparatusinvolving the principles of this invention.

' In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the grinding apparatus. A y

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 65 The motor, thefgrindingwheel, Aand the car wheel and axle, arcshown in elevation.

Fig. 3 lis a transverse vertical section on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section, `e11 lai-ged and partially broken away, taken substantially on the line 4- 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a 'diagrammatic view for iilustrating the process of removing a dat spot. Referring first to Fig. 2, a'car wheel 1 is mounted rigidly-on the axle 2, it bein understood that a similarlwheelis mounte `on the right hand end of this axle 2 which is broken Fig. 5, 6 indicates the comparatively soft 90 web portion of the wheel, and the hard, chilled, rim or tread is ,indicated by shadin at 7.- At 8 is indicatedka flat portlon Whic has been ground away from the normal periphery or tread 9 of the wheel which should 95' be entirely-concentric with the axis 10 of the wheel and axle. If this fiat 8 is fnot excessively deep, and does not penetrate through the chilled portion 7 of the wheel, the tread ofthe wheel may-be re-surfaced by grinding l down the periphery 9 of the trea .to the dotted circle 11, which it will be noted, correi spondsin radius to the lowest portion of the flat surface 8. The present invention relates to an improved mechanism for grinding down this tread 9 to eliminate t-he'flat. spot S. Referring again to F ig. 2. l2 indicates a' rot-ary grinding wheel, formed of euiery, carborimduin or other suitableabrasive. u 'lbis grinding wheel is mounted to rotate in a'plane parallel to that in which the car wheel rotates, and the angleot its grinding surface 13 corresponds to, but is opp'ositely disposed relative to the tread of wheel 1, and the. width of grinding wheel l2' is substantially the saine, or somewhat greater than, the ellective width of the tread 5. that is the portionwhieh rolls on the 'upper surface of the rail. ,Themechanism hereinatterjto be described, is adapted to support-and drive this ,irinding wheel 12 so that it will simultaneously rotate on'its own axis and revolve about the axis of the wheel 1 and axle 2 so as to sue? cessively grind down all port-ions of 'the pelriphery 9 of tread 5. until theilat spot 8 has beenreinove'd.

. 'I he parts of this mechanism are carried by :r normally stationary frame 14,- comprising a. bracket 15 for supporting the driving motor l16.A Iand .a cylindrical housing -17 adapted to surround the journal 8 of the axle2. The.l

motor '16 may be coiivei'iiently suspended from the bracket 15 by having its base 18 bolted to this bracket, asat 19'. I

it portion of the hollow cylindrical housing 17 isinteriorly threaded, as at 20, and a hol.- low, substantially cylindrical,-sleevc 21 is exteriorly threaded to engage l'with these threads 20 in housing l''. A `portion of the inner surta-coef sleeve 21 Ais formed, with a series of gearteeth 22, therebyforining a vein' wide inner annular gear. Asher-'t shaft 23, having a hand wheel'24 atits .outer end, is

journaled in abearing -Wig frame 14, and

whioh meshes with the internal-gear teeth 22 in sleeve Itwill be noted that by inan-V ually rotating tl@` hand wheel 24, the pinion 26 will rotate"tliesleeve 21, which, through its screw threadedengagement with the relatively vstationaryhol'ising 17 will 'cause 'the sleeve 21 to iuove longitudinally through the housing. The relatively wide! iiiterual gear 22 permits this .longitudinal movement ot` sleeve 21 to take pla-ce without Acausing this i internal gear -22 to become disengaged from the driving. pinion 26. Wit-bin the opposite cud of sleeve 21 is mounted a wedge rine' 27 having a cylindrical outer surface to fit within the sleeve, and a conical inner surface 28. An inwardly projecting Ilange 29 on .sleeve 21 fits areeess 30 in the end of ring 27, and an annular plate 31 is secured, as at 32, to-the end of ring 27 against the opposite face of flange 29, so that the wedge ring 27 is eoinpelled to move longitudinally with the sleeve 21, but nee'd notshare in its rotative movement. A plurality, here shown as 3, of wedges j or jaws .33 have inner e lindrical surfaces 34 shaped totit the journal 3, and outer coni.-l

cal sur faces inclined to correspond with the inner conical surface ot ring 27. '.l`he outer, r slightly redueed,.portion 35 ot'eaeh jaw 33 -tits withinv a slide-way 3G in ring 27, and a holt 37`Seeured in the. bottom of this slidef way projects into a channel 3S in thewedge 33. the head 3l) of the bolt tilting within an enlarged portion 4U of the. channel 38. '.lhis prevents separation of the wedge and ring, but permits longitudinal inoven'icnt of each wedge or jaw 33 through tlie ring 27. c v- ]iiidrical -tlange 4l.- projeeting inwardl \r 'from the traine 14 concentric with housing 17, engages the larger ends of the wedges 33 to prevent longitudinal movement of the wedges in one direction through the housing 17, and pairs o'l lingers 42 engaging each side o l' each ot: the. wedges 33, prevents rotary movement of the wedges when the sleeve 21 is rotated. Then the housing 1T is placed about the journal 3-of axle. 2, and the hand wheel .24 is rotated in the propel.' direct-ion` lthe sleeve 2l will be drawn outwardly (that'is awa v from wheel l), and` since the. wedges 33 are. pref vented from movinglongitudinally in thisl direction, due to their engagement with tlange 41. and are also prevented from rotating with sleeve 2l by the fingers 4:2, the engaging conical faces of ring 27 and wedges 33 will causethese. wedges or jaws to be iuoved radially inward against thejournal until they y are clamped tightly thereagainst. Since' the wedges 33 are arranged concentrically wit-hin the housing 17, and are simultaneously and -eqnally moved radially within this housing,

theliousing 17 will be concentric axis l() o`1`fthe journal 3, when the. housing is vclamped in position, as above described.

centering screw 43 is mounted in the frame 14 in position to engage with the conical centering holc, 44 in the end of axle 2. adjustment of this screw 43 will position the housing 17- longitudinally of axle 2 sothat grinding wheel 12 will be positioned properly over the tread 5 ot wheel 1.

A revoluble supporting frame'45 has a hollow cylindrical portion 46 which surrounds the cylindrical housing '17. Preferably, bronze bushings 47 and 4S are interposed between the normally stationary sleeve or ho'using17 andthe rotatable. sleeve. or frame 46.

A vlarge gear 49 is lixed rigidly on one end' the outersurtaee of sleeve 46. a bronze bushing 53 heilig interposed therebetween. As here shown, the annular gear 52 is in the.

with .the

Proper llt) forni of a double gear, one-half of which meshes with a gear or pinion 54 secured to motor-shaft 51. The gear 54 is Asomewhat larger than pinio`n50, so that annular gear 52 will be rotated somewhat faster than gea l 49, but in the saine direction.

A cylindrical drum or frame 55'is mounted in a corresponding-cylindrical socket 56 in" nailed iu bearings 58 and 59 in drinn 55,

carries the grinding wheel 1i. at one end and-a pinion G0 'at the other end. The shaft 57 is mounted near one peripheral edge of d'rum so that it .is'eccentric to the axis of the di'uin, but parallel thereto. A st ud (3l, projecting concentrically from one end of drum 55, carries a pinion 62 which'is freely rotatable and meshes with the pinion 60 on the end of shaft 57. An intermediate idler gear or pinion G3, mounted'on a stud- 64 projectf ing from .the frame 45,' meshes with the pinion, 62 and also with the annular gear 52. A sector ot a worin wheel G5istorined in a portion of the outer surface of drum 55, and

aworin 66 meshes with this sector. \Vorin66 'is mounted `on a shaft 67, between bearings 68 and 69 projecting from frame 45, land there is a hand wheel 70`on the upper end of shaft 67, by 'which it may be rotated manually, as desired.

lt will be noted that'by rotating the-liand oil-holes 72 and 73 leading to .these bearings- 05 An oil passage 74, drilled in stud 61, leads.

to the bearingsurface for pinion 62. An oil hole'75 in the periphery of drinn 55 coin.-

drum, with an arcuate groove 76 in frame 45. Another oil passage 77 in .sleeve 46,1e'ads to municates, in any adjusted position of the f 70 the annular-space 78 between this sleeve and housing 17. .'lhis space 78 is supplied with oil from groove 76 through a suitable tubing 79 connecting withpassage 77. Oil is fed from space 78 to the inneilends of bearings j the axis 10, there will be a-continual splash-v ing Vot' the oil within this drum, forcing oil through the passages, above described, to the several bearings. or the relatively rotating members. i

In operation, the wheell to be ground and its axle 2 are mounted on suitable hors-csf or other supporting means, 'so .that the axle 2 is substantially horizontal.l The grinding mechanism oi'. uiiit, hereinabove described, is

then swung into position, preferably by wheel 70, the drum 55 may be osillatcd means of a crane,.so that the housingl7 is positioned about the end 3 'of axle 2. If not v "through a wide arc within' the supporting frame 45. Inthis way the shaft 57, and the grinding wheel 12 carried thereby, may be swung .from an extreme outer position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 1. to an .inner position, such` as shown in dotted lines in that figure, and it will be noted that the dotted line position is closer to the axis 10 of the supporting frame'17 and wheel 1, t-lian is the outer solid 4line position. This serves to adjust the grinding wheel 12 substantially radially wit-h respect to the axis of the wheel 'in order to accommodate diierent sizes of wheels or to determine the amount that is ground from anyone wheel. It will be noted that rotation of drum 55 does not at` 'feet the position of pinion 62. which is mounth' ed concentric therewith, and that the pinion 60 on shaft 57 is revolved bodily about t-lie axis of the drinn 55 'so that it always meshes properly with pinion 62.l In other words, the train of driving'gears 54,52, 63` 62. and 60, through which the grinding wheel 12 is rapidly rotatedfrom themotor 16, is always in proper engagement no matter what the rotative position' of drumY 55 in frame 45 may be.

already. properlyfadjusted, the screw 43 will be-moved .in or out until-,when in engagement with the centering hole 44 in the end of the axle, the grinding wheel '12 will be properly positioned above the tread 5 of the. wheel 1. Hand wheel 24 is nownianipulated `to move the wedges or jaws 33 into Iii-in engagement with the' journal 3 of' axle 2, and the grinding' unit is now supported by the axle 2 and properly centered therea-round. Hand wheel 70 is now manipulated to oscillate the drum 55 `until the grinding wheel 12 is .brought into proper grinding .relation with thetread 5 of the `wheel 1. Electric current is now supplied through suitable connections (not here shown) to the motor 16.- Rotation of motor shaft-51 will, through gears 50 and 49, cause'th'e revoluble frame 45 and al1-of .the mechanism carried thereby, to revolve bodily about the axis of wheel 1. At the same time, grinding wheel 12 will be rotated rapidly on its own axis by means of the trainof gearing 54, 52, 63, 62 and 60. It will be noted that vthe grinding wheel 12 has a planetary lmovement. about the axis 10 so that it will successively grind equally on all portions of the periphery 9 of tread 5 (except the vflat portion 8) until the. circular 'contourof the tread has been restored. Of. course, the diameter .of the wheel 1 will be slightly reduced, but 'this isl permissible within certain limits. Grinding wheel 12 is adjusted inwardly, when i of the Wheel, a revoluble frame mounted on ,wheel 70,

We claim:

v1. Acar-wheel grinder comprising a snpporting frame, means forcentcringthcframe with respect to the axis of'the wheel, a rotary grinder mounted ou the frame for' bodily revolution about this axis,` means for rotating the grinder on-,its own axis, a container for oil which revolves with the grindcr'about ,the axis of the i 'heel, and means for conducting oil from this container to the several bearings for/the rotating parts;

2. A car-wheel grinder comprising a supporting frame, means for securing the vframe in centered position with respect to the axis the supporting frame for movement about the .axis of the wheel, a hollow cylindrical drum mounted in the revoluble frame. for rotary adjustment about its own axis, 4a gear rotatable on the axis of the drum, an annular ear centered about the axis of the revolnble rameygear connections between the annular gear and therst named, gear:I a shaft rotatable in the drum *parallel to but eccentric to th'e. .axis of the drum', a gear on this shaft meshing 'with the'lrst named gear, a grinding dise mounted on the shaft imposition to engage the' tread of the wheel, means for adj ustin'g the drum about its own axis and hold- -ingt in adjusted, position, means for rotat- .mg the annular frame and annular gear, and

, means for conducting oil 'from the interior `of 11u-lar gear.

the drum'to the several bearings-between the relatively rota-ting parts.

3. A carwheelgrinder comprising a-cylin' drical supporting frame adapted tosurround and be supported. by the journalend of thetween the motor mechanism and the revoluble frame and the grindinfT mechanism for rotating the" grinding mechanism about its own axis and for revolvine the revoluble frame` about the supporting rame.' v .4. A car-Wheel grinder comprising a cylindrical supporting frame adapted to surround and be supported by the journal end of the ear-wheel axis, a revoluble frame mounted on the cvlindrica1'fra1ne,' 'a rotatable Grinding mechanism carried by the revoluble rame in position to 'engage the treadofv the Wheel, a motor mechanism mounted on the supporting frame, a-i'xed gear on the 'revoluble-frame, an annular gear rotatably journaled 011 the rcvoluble frame, a gear train connecting the annular gear withthe l,.grindimg" mechanism,

andgears driven by the motor mechanism en-` ga gingrespectively the fixed gear and the anveHARLl-as T; RIPLEY. l JOHN L. muns'rnoimv 

